Watch band calendar and dispenser



June 30, 1970 P. PETRIE WATCH BAND CALENDAR AND DISPENSER Filed July 16.1968 /NVEN7'0/2= PATRICK PETRIE 6'Z&bzta7%%' ATTOEN s United StatesPatent 3,517,802 WATCH BAND CALENDAR AND DISPENSER Patrick Petrie, 12210Malone St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90066 Filed July 16, 1968, Ser. No.745,317 Int. Cl. A45c 11/18 US. Cl. 20639 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A watch band calendar dispenser in the form of a containerhaving a top open window and end slot incorporates a unique springgeometry for urging a stack of calendar elements in the form of thinsheets of metal in an upward direction for successive dispensing fromthe container. The biasing spring is in the form of a flat rectangularmetal member dimensioned to fit in the container and having transversecuts extending inwardly from opposite sides adjacent to the ends. Theside portions between these cuts are biased upwardly to define a semicylindrical section, the top edges of the side portions being parallelto each other and serving as engaging guides for the underside of thestack of the calendar elements. With this configuration, when thecontainer is completely filled with elements, the spring structure isheld in a substantially fiat configuration so that a maximum number ofelements may be incorporated within the container.

This invention relates to watch band calendars and dispensers thereforand more particularly, to an improved dispenser structure for watch bandcalendars in the form of thin metal sheet elements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Watch band calendars are well known and haveenjoyed a considerable commercial success in the last few years.Generally these types of calendars take the form of thin metal sheetshaving monthly calendars imprinted on their top surfaces. The metal issufficiently thin that end portions may be bent to encircle a portion ofa persons Watch strap to hold the calendar to the watch strap so that itis always readily accessible for easy observation. Because of thelimited surface available for imprinting the calendar, each of the thinmetallic sheets will generally include a calendar for only one month.Accordingly, unless both sides are used, at least twelve of the thinsheets must be provided to represent a yearly calendar.

It is, of course, impractical to simply aflix all twelve sheetsrepresenting a year calendar to a persons watch strap. Not only wouldthere probably not be sufiicient room on the strap itself, but some ofthe calendars would necessarily be positioned at an awkward location andthus not readily observable. Accordingly, the practice is to simplyremove one calendar and replace it with another at the end of each monthfrom a supply usually maintained at a persons home. However, for personson extended trips who may wish to change their calendars, it would bemore practical if a means were provided for permitting a person to carryat all times a complete set of the monthly calendars. Any such holder orcontainer for the monthly calendars would desirably be as small andcompact as possible. In addition, the container for maximum efficiencyshould be so designed as to enable successive dispensing of calendars asneeded without having to undergo undue manual manipulation of thecontainer itself.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing background inmind, the present invention comprehends an improved dispensing containerparticularly designed for watch band calendars of the type described.This dispenser comprises a container for holding a stack of calendarelements in the form of thin metal sheets having suitable calendarsimprinted on their top surfaces. The top surface of the containerincludes an open window which will expose the top most element andcalendar on its top surface. The container also includes a transverseend slot. A unique biasing spring is provided within the containerbetween the bottom of the container and the bottom of the stack. Thisspring is generally in the form of a rectangular metal memberdimensioned in accord with the dimensions of the container itself suchthat when received in the bottom of the container it is held againsttransverse movement in its own plane. The metal member has transversecuts extending from opposite longitudinal sides adjacent to its endstowards its center longitudinal axis. The side portions between thesecuts are biased upwardly to define a semi cylindrical section. The upperedges of these side portions engage the underside of the stack ofcalendar elements to continuously bias the stack upwardly. On the otherhand, because of the formation of the semi cylindrical section from aninitial flat rectangular metal member, when the container is completelyfilled, the spring can lie in substantially aflat plane so that maximumutilization of the interior of the container is realizable. Thedispensing container can thus be made relatively small.

The open window on the top of the container serves a dual function.First, it permits a user to engage the top most element with his thumband slide this element from the end slot. Second, it permits visualobservation of the calendar imprinted on the top most element withouthaving to remove the same from the container.

Finally, the container may include a suitable attachment means for readysecurement to a conventional key chain so that it may readily be carriedaround on a per- A better understanding of the invention will be had byreferring to a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the various components makingup the watch band calendar dispenser of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the components of FIG. 1 after being placedin assembled relationship taken generally in the direction of the arrows22 and illustrating the dispenser completely filled with watch bandcalendars;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the relativepositions of components after several of the watch band calendars havebeen dispensed from the container;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled container illustrating themanner in which a watch band calendar is removed therefrom;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a first manner ofsecuring the watch band calendar dispensed from the unit of FIG. 4 to apersons wrist watch strap; and,

FIG. 6 is another fragmentary perspective view of the watch band of FIG.5 showing a second means of securing the watch band calendar to thestrap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring first to FIG. 1, thedispenser portion of the present invention comprises three basiccomponents. To wit: a generally rectangularly shaped box 10, a springmeans in the form of a leaf type spring 11, and a top cover 12. The box10 includes a fiat interior bottom 13 and is provided with an annularchannel 14 extending around its exterior wall. The box 10 may alsoinclude an attachment means for connecting the same to a watch chain.

The spring means 11 takes the form of a generally rectangularly shapedmetal member dimensioned to be received in the box 10 in such a mannerthat it is held against translational movement in its own plane. Themember includes transverse cuts designated 16a, 16b and 17a, 17bextending from opposite sides towards the central axis of the memberadjacent the opposite ends 16 and 17. Side portions between these cutsare bent upwardly to define a generally semi-cylindrically shapedsection 18. There are thus provided upper side edges 19 and generallyparallel to each other and preferably curled to provide smooth guidingengaging edges for bearing against the bottom of a stack of calendarelements to be held in the container. The semi-cylindrical section 18may include transversely extending cut-outs such as indicated at 21 todecrease the material content of the member and thus enable control ofthe upward biasing force exerted by the side edges 19 and 20.

Referring now to the cover 12 as shown in FIG. 1, the top surface isprovided with an open window 22. Further, there is provided an annularrib 23 on the interior wall portion of the cover. One end of the coverterminates in a transverse end slot 24.

Also illustrated in FIG. 1 is a typical watch band calendar element 25.This element takes the form of a thin metal sheet having smoothlyfinished upper and lower surfaces 26 and 27. Opposite end portions ofthis sheet include cut-outs such as illustrated at 28 and 29 and thecentral top has imprinted thereon a calendar 30. The opposite surface 27of the element may also have a calendar imprinted thereon if desired.

The various components of FIG. 1 are assembled by positioning thebiasing spring 11 on the bottom 13 of the box 10 and thereafterinserting the cover 12 over the box 10 such that the annular rib 23 willmate with the annular channel 14 of the box. The rib may be welded tothe channel by ultrasonic welding means to provide a permanentcontainer.

FIG. 2 illustrates the manner in which the rib 23 may be snapped intothe channel 14. By utilizing ultra-sonic type welding, the outer wallsurfaces of the box portion 10 and cover 12 may be flush as shown.

A stack of watch band calendars 25 may then be received in the containerby feeding the same through the transverse end slot 24, the calendarsreadily sliding along the top bearing side edges 19 and 20 of the spring11. As further calendars are inserted, the semi-cylindrical section ofthe spring member is gradually flattened until the container is filledsuch as illustrated in FIG. 2. Because of the manner of forming thespring member 11, the semi-cylindrical section will fit between the ends16 and 17 so that the entire spring member can lie substantially flatand thus provide maximum interior volume in the container for receivingthe stacked elements 25 FIG. 3 illustrates the position of the spring 11after several of the calendar elements 25 have been removed, thisremoval being effected by reversing the process employed in insertingthe elements. As indicated by the arrows, the side edges 19 and 20 exertan upward biasing force substantially evenly on either side of thelongitudinal axis of the members and thus urge them towards the top ofthe cover 12 in such a manner that the top most element may readily beremoved and the next successive element properly positioned forsubsequent removal.

FIG. 4 illustrates the position of an element upon partial removal. Inthis operation, the user will simply engage the top most element witihhis thumb through the window 22 and slide the element out of the endslot 24 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4.

The dimensioning of the window 22 in the cover 12 is such as to not onlyserve the purpose of permitting a user to frictionally engage theelement with his thumb for removing purposes but also to expose theimprinted calendar of the upper most element. The particular monthdepicted by the top most calendar is thus readily visible to the user.

FIG. 5 illustrates a first manner in which the watch band calendarelement 25 may be secured to a watch strap. In FIG. 5, the watch strap31 is threaded through the openings 28 and 29 in the calendar element tosecure the calendar to the watch strap.

FIG. 6 illustrates a second manner of securing the calendar element tothe watch strap. As shown, the end portions defining the cut-outs 28 and29 are simply wrapped around or bent to underlie the underside of thewatch strap 31 and thus hold the calendar 25 in a secure position.

As mentioned heretofore, a second calendar may be imprinted on thebottom surface of each of the elements and in this respect, a total ofonly six elements would be necessary to provide a years supply ofcalendars. Under these circumstances, the user would simply remove themetal element and turn it over and then reinsert it on the watch strapeither in the manner depicted in FIG. 5 or the manner depicted in FIG.6. Alternatively, the same calendar may be on both sides but one sidefinished in gold and the other silver so that the user can expose thatside which matches his watch.

OPERATION The operation of the watch band calendar and dispenser will beevident from the foregoing description. After the box 10, spring means11 and cover 12 of FIG. 1 have been assembled as illustrated in FIGS. 2,3 and 4, a user may secure the dispenser to his key ring or chain as bymeans of the attachment structure 15. He may then load the containerwith a stack of calendar elements such as indicated at 25 by insertingthe same successively through the end slot 24. As described, this actionwill compress the spring 11 into a flat configuration so that a maximumnumber may be held within the dispenser.

The user will remove the top most calendar, the calendars being stackedin proper chronological order and may secure the same to his watch bandin either of the manners depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6.

At the end of the month, the user can simply remove the calendar elementfrom his watch band and, in the event the next successive month calendaris on the opposite side of the element, turn the element over andreinsert it on the band. In the event the new month appears on the nextcalendar within the dispenser, the user can simply slide this top mostcalendar from the dispenser as described in conjunction with FIG. 4.

As the calendars are successively dispensed from the container, thespring means 11 will assume the position illustrated in FIG. 3. Becauseof the smoothly provided parallel upper side edges 19 and 20, slidingmovement of the calendars when inserting the same and when removing thelast calendar relative to the spring is greatly facilitated.Furthermore, the structure is stable within the container in view of thedual rails defined by the upper side edges. Each of the calendarelements themselves may include suitable surface finishing for the topand bottom surfaces to provide essentially a lubricated surface for easysliding movement relative to each other and the upper side edges of thespring.

Finally, as a consequence of the simple construction of the containeritself in the form of a box and cover, twotone coloring may be readilyprovided prior to assembly and the top cover then simply snapped ontothe box with the rib received in the groove. Thereafter, sonic weldingtechniques may be employed to provide a permanent container.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the present invention hasprovided a greatly improved watch band calendar and dispenser whereinvarious problems en- 6 countered with watch band calendars in the pasthave cluding transversely extending cutouts to decrease the beenovercome. material content of said member and thereby control What isclaimed is: the upward biasing force exerted by said side edges, 1. Awatch band calendar dispenser, comprising: whereby the uppermost of saidstack of calendar ele- (a) a rectangularly shaped box having a flatinterior ments may be slid from said container through said end bottomand annular channel extending around its exslot in said cover byengaging the top surface portion of terior side wall; the elementexposed in said Window and urging the ele- (b) a rectangular shapedcover for said box having a ment through said end slot, said leaf typespring concentral top window opening and a transverse end tinuouslyurging said stack upwardly to thereby successlot, the interior side wallof said cover including si-vely position said elements for successivedispensing. an annular rib for mating with said channel when 2. Thesubject matter of claim 1, in which said window said cover is assembled011 said box 0 define a C011- is of a, size to expose the calendarimprinted on the top tainer; and surface of the top element in saidstack. (c) a metal leaf type spring in the form of a rectangularlyshaped metal member dimensioned to fit in References Cited saidcontainer on said flat bottom, said membenhav: UNITED STATES PATENTS mgtransverse cuts extending from opposite long1tud1- nal sides adjacent toits ends towards its center longi- 2,514,161 7/1950 Nelson 221-429 Xtudinal axis, the side portions between said cuts being 218 14,13911/1957 Clare- Ibiased upwardly to define a semi-cylindrical section,3,236,373 2/1966 Lux X the upper edges of said side portions beingformed to 3,239,093 3/1965 F 220 60 X define smooth guide surfacesserving to bear against 3,286,823 11/1966 Glnesple the underside of astack of calendar elements in the form of thin metal sheets havingcalendars imprinted FOREIGN PATENTS on their top surfaces, downwardpressure by said 885,302 8/1953 Germany. sheets urging said upper edgesdownwardly to hold 490,390 2/1954 Italy.

said leaf type spring in a substantially flat configuration when saidcontainer is completely filled with said JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, PrimaryExaminer calendar elements, said semi-cylindrical section in-

